Nobody Does It Better
by zashaxander
Summary: In English Literature we discuss whether it is appropriate to whine about a problem without offering a solution. While I think whining is a hugely necessary part of life, I like solutions too - so this is mine. If you hadn't guessed, my tongue was firmly in my cheek when I wrote the title, but I did take it out to write the rest of the story, and I hope you like it!


A/N: As you may know, I don't seem to be capable of finishing one story before I start another – there's always a reason to start something new. This time, sadly, it's disappointment. I loved the first two episodes of season 6, but since then, for me at least, it's been going downhill. One of the key things bothering me is the lack of Caskett relationship progress. I also don't like the treatment of Alexis. However, I don't think can claim to know better unless I actually try to do better. I have the utmost respect for all the creators of Castle, but right now... This is how I think it should be done. That's also my disclaimer – this is how _I _like to portray these characters. I'm writing this for me – not least because I have 2 important essays to write this week and I need some light relief. Concerning my other fics - updates are on the way, I haven't forgotten any of them. I hope you like this.

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_Nobody Does It Better_

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Open mouthed, Kate closed the door on agent McCord and turned around to her fiance. For once, he was lost for words.

"I..." Kate began, but upon trying to speak she realised she was far closer to tears than she'd thought. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling, but refused the hand Castle held out to her. She tried to think sensibly. She hadn't liked it anyway. They were being woven into a web of secrets and lies, something she would never have accepted. It had probably only been a matter of time... But McCord had been so fast, so brutal...

"You were too good for them," Castle said gently, again trying to take her hand. She let him this time and attempted a smile.

"It's been more than ten years since I was unemployed," she joked, but her voice was depressingly humourless. Castle winked at her.

"You'll have to let me be your keeper."

Kate rolled her eyes, then smiled. He was so clever, he could always distract her.

"What about the apartment?" she asked suddenly, looking down at the key still clutched in her hand.

Castle thought about it. "We could still go there, if you want. Because I'm serious about moving in with you and this is so unexpected but it doesn't change how I feel."

Kate smiled again and they sat back down on the couch, resuming their earlier position.

"I don't think I want to go back to DC... New York's my home, you know. But I don't even have anywhere to-"

"You can stay here, of course."

"Really? Alexis and Martha won't mind?"

"My mother isn't supposed to live here, and Alexis is going back to college in a few weeks. Besides, this is my apartment, and you are my fiancee. I can ask you to move in here if you want."

Kate considered this. She knew Castle would accept it if she wanted to look for a place of their own, but honestly, she'd grown to love the loft. She'd stayed here before, it was comfortable and safe. She liked Castle's family, she only had fond memories of being here. They wouldn't get a place anything like as nice unless they looked for months and months, and it would be ridiculously expensive. Moving in to the loft made sense.

"Okay," she said. Castle looked surprised.

"Really? You're saying yes?"

She grinned and tilted her head back to look at him.

"Of course I'm saying yes, Castle. I want to marry you and I want to move in with you. And you have a gorgeous apartment."

He chuckled; Kate felt her body move with his as the laughter rippled in his stomach.

"I guess we'll have to go up to DC and pack, then," she said. It still stung, of course, but not as much as she'd thought it would. Having Castle around, having him to go to, made things a lot easier to take. She shuddered to think about how she would have felt if she'd gone through the whole DC fiasco without him at her side. She didn't think he knew how much stronger he made her.

Castle stroked Kate's jaw, wishing he could do something to get rid of the frown that had settled on her face. She was going to move in with him, they should be over the moon, not wallowing in sadness. But he was sad too, sad for her. He had been so proud when she'd gotten the job – she was brilliant, and he thought she still needed reminding of that. He was furious that the FBI didn't value her integrity and intelligence the way he believed they should.

He was soothing her though, he could feel it. He wrapped his arm around her; the hand that had been stroking her face now played with her hair. She let out a sigh, but it was more relaxed than unhappy. He kissed the top of her head.

"You ready to let me make you feel better?" he whispered. She smiled widely at the hungry edge to his voice, then rolled over, pressing her body against him and lowering her lips to his.

He opened his mouth to capture hers, his hands already struggling to pull off her shirt. She moved to let him and hummed with pleasure as he brushed his fingertips over the smooth skin of her torso-

"Hello!"

Kate gasped and grabbed a pillow to cover herself. She was about to jump off Castle's lap when she realised she'd better stay there for a while.

"Hi, Alexis," she said uncomfortably, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Detective Beckett."

"Hi, Detective, I love your bra!"

"Thanks, Pi... I thought you guys were out for dinner?"

"The restaurant my friend recommended turned out only to be vegetarian, not vegan," Alexis explained.

"Oh, bummer," Castle muttered. Kate elbowed him in the ribs.

"That's a shame," she said, wondering if there was any way to salvage the situation. "Uhm, well... Rick and I haven't eaten yet, so how about I, er, put my shirt back on, and I'll cook you all something. I can make a great bean salad that'll suit everyone."

Kate glared at Castle until he wiped the grimace off his face and picked her shirt up off the floor.

"That sounds wonderful," he lied. She pulled her shirt on and stood up, wishing she could do something to cool her flushed cheeks. Alexis was still frowning, which wasn't good either. Pi seemed happy... But when didn't he? Out of the corner of her eye, Kate could see Castle glaring daggers into the poor boy's back.

"Alexis, why don't you come help me in the kitchen? It doesn't take long to make. The boys can open a few beers, or smoothies," she added quickly, "and lay the table for us."

Alexis nodded reluctantly and followed the older woman into the kitchen. Kate gave Castle one last glance over her shoulder to let him know he'd better cooperate, then set to work finding the ingredients for her salad.

"I'm so sorry," she said to Alexis.

"It's fine," Alexis replied, beheading a carrot with rather too much force.

"No, it isn't fine. You shouldn't have to come home to-"

"Detective Beckett-"

"Please, call me Kate."

"Kate, I've walked in on my father kissing, and worse, a lot of women far less nice than you. So don't worry about it."

"I just... I mean, he's still your dad. We did think you were out."

Alexis' tone softened. "I know you did. I... Never mind."

They were silent for a while, chopping and washing and dropping things in a big glass dish.

"How are things with Pi?" Kate asked to break the silence.

"They're great, really great," Alexis said, and Kate saw a light come into her eyes. "He makes me so happy. He's fun and he brings out my fun side – he's just what I need, you know?"

Kate smiled and looked over at Castle, who was bending down to get out the table mats.

"Yes, I do know."

Alexis followed her eyes.

"I see what you mean. I'm..." she trailed off. She didn't really know what she was trying to say. It wasn't that she didn't like Kate. But it was hard, the stepmother thing, and she'd been in this situation in the past, getting to know someone her dad was with only to have them break up. In a way that was actually easier, though. Because she had a horrible feeling Kate and her father were the real deal. She could tell from the way Kate looked at him that this wasn't some fling. It was love. And her father loved Kate, too.

"I'm done," she said abruptly.

"Me too," Kate replied. She reached up to get some plates out of the cabinet. Alexis noticed that she didn't even need to look to see where the right ones were. She narrowed her eyes and tried to be a grown up about it. About everything.

Castle appeared behind Kate and rested his hands on her hips. He gently kissed her neck, but Kate was too conscious of their company to really relax with him.

"Let me get those for you," he said, standing up again and taking the plates. Kate brought the salad bowl; Alexis was left to bring a jug of water. Pi winked at her and she smiled. Perhaps it wasn't so bad after all.

"Thanks for clearing up, you two," Castle said. Alexis' eyes widened. Kate really was a good influence.

"We just put Pi's stuff in my room. I hope that's okay."

"Yes, as long as you-"

Kate kicked him under the table.

"Yes, that's fine."

"Don't worry Mr C, I'm a gentleman."

Castle resisted the temptation to put his hands over his ears, though he was largely deterred because his shin still hurt and he didn't want Kate to kick it again.

"I'm... glad to hear it," he said through gritted teeth. Kate's eyebrows told him he would have to do better than that if he wanted to be rewarded later. He forced a smile.

"So, what made you become a fruitarian, Pi?"

An hour later, after they had done the dishes with organic soap, Alexis and Pi retreated upstairs saying something about a Greenpeace webcast. When they were finally out of hearing range, Castle let out a dramatic sigh, but it was mostly for show. Kate handed him one of the two glasses of wine she had just poured and sauntered through to the bedroom, where she draped herself elegantly on the bed, placing her wine on the nightstand.

"Now," she said seductively. "Where were we?"

Castle gulped down his mouthful of wine.

"I think I can just about remember," he said, leaving his wine beside hers and pulling his shirt off over his head.

Kate waited for Castle to get his breath back before broaching the topic which had been niggling in her mind for most of the evening (though she'd just had a good hour of relief from it). His arm was around her shoulders; he kept his apartment warm enough that she didn't mind the sheet had mostly slipped off the bed.

"I don't think Alexis likes me very much," she said softly.

"Of course she does," Castle said, giving her a squeeze. "How could she not?"

"No, seriously, Castle... And I understand. She's very protective of you, she doesn't want me to hurt you. And she's at an age where she has to break away from home a bit, but she doesn't know if she's ready to. She's been your number one girl all her life, and of course, she still is, but I'm here too and as we're becoming more committed to each other, I can imagine she would feel a little sidelined."

"I'm the one that feels sidelined! She has Pi!"

Kate turned to him and he realised what he'd said.

"You're saying she feels the same way I do? But is it really the same?"

"It's not exactly the same. But you can see the similarities."

"I suppose so... But what do I do about it?"

"Be her dad. Give her space, but don't forget her... I don't know. At her age I was... Very different, and in a very different situation. I don't have children-"

"Yet." Castle winked at her.

"You thought now would be a good time to bring that up?"

He sobered his expression. "No. Look, you're right, I have to be better with her, and if Pi makes her happy, then I have to accept him and learn to like him. But I'm just so wrapped up in you and me. Having you in my life is the best thing that's ever happened to me and I want to do these things with you. I want to move in with you and marry you and have children with you, and I don't understand why Alexis can't be happy for me, and for us."

Kate sighed. "I think she is happy for us. But it's complicated. She's feeling a lot of things right now. Honestly, I wish I didn't have to be so understanding of her. She's driving me a little crazy too. But I'm still going to try to be a friend to her."

"And that is one of the many many reasons why I love you so much."

"And I love you because despite your stupid jokes, I know you've been listening, and I know you understand."

Castle kissed her cheek. "Don't tell on me. Wouldn't want my readers to know I'm actually a grown up."

"Your secret's safe with me."

Kate smiled as he leaned down to kiss her again.

INSERT 6X04 BEDROOM SCENE HERE. Well most of it. Until – ENTER ALEXIS.

(If you want to watch the scene again now, which I would recommend, YouTube search 'Castle 6x04 First Scene and it should be your first hit!)

"What is this, a house meeting?" Alexis looked around the room, more than a little confused.

"No," Kate said from under the covers. Alexis laughed.

"Pi, I was looking for you. Come on, we're going to be late."

Pi followed her out of the room. Kate stayed buried under the comforter until Castle rescued her.

"They've gone. Can I at least be your sugar daddy for a day?"

"Don't make me shoot you."

"You have a gun here?"

"Actually it's in DC..."

Castle laughed. "Okay. Well I know what we can do for the next few days. We can drive over there and get all your stuff. I'll tell Alexis she has the run of the place, and we can make a trip of it. That'll help you to relax. Then we'll get you all moved in, and once we've done that, I'm sure you'll have sorted out something work-wise. How does that sound?"

"It sounds good... You should tell Alexis I'm moving in, though."

"Right."

"And Martha."

"Right. I'll do that now, before the craziness starts. You can get ready, slowly, then we'll go get the pickup-"

"You have a pickup truck?"

"I'm a guy and I'm a millionaire. Of course I have a pickup truck."

"Right..."

Castle laughed and got out of bed.

"Don't lock the door," he teased, looking over at the bathroom.

"Nice idea, but I think I will, and then if you want to come in you can knock and let me know it's you first. I've been walked in on enough for one morning."

"Always so careful. Fine. Have it your way. But if I'm your sugar daddy you should do what I say."

"If you say that one more time, Kitten-"

Castle leaned down so his face was inches from hers.

"Yes, Kate?"

Kate ignored the tingle between her legs as his bright eyes pierced hers.

"I'll make you ride in the back of the pickup all the way to DC."

He grinned, then moved in to kiss her and slide his hand down under the covers. Kate forced herself not to let him.

"No, you have to go talk to them," she said reluctantly, pulling away and getting out of bed.

He sighed, but left the room. Kate watched him go, her eyes resting on his cute, round ass until it disappeared out of the door. She let out a sigh of her own. Life might be horribly complicated, but at least some things were easy. Loving him... Loving him was so, so easy.

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A/N: It's not 'complete', and there might be more chapters, but I've done a lot of what I wanted to do and got out my frustration into this one, so don't shoot me if I don't manage regular updates. I have a lot on, and my two favourite fics right now are Dead Serious and Fresher Fresher. Both are a bit out there, for different reasons, but you should definitely read them! And please review this one – especially what you think of me just telling you to watch the scene. I could have written it in – would that have been better?


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